CINCINNATI – A huge thunderstorm blew through Cincinnati Saturday morning, dumping water and hail across the area. Fortunately, for the nearly 200 football prospects assembled at Elder High School on the city’s West Side, the weather cleared in time for them to participate in the Under Armour All-America Camp Series at the school’s historic football stadium.

Former NFL Quarterback and Cincinnati Bengals QB Jeff Blake gives instructions at the Under Armor All-America Camp Series with Anderson's Jay Volpenhein at Elder High School, Saturday, April 29. Tony Tribble For the Enquirer

Westerville South (OH) running back, Jaelen Gill, and Cleveland Heights (OH) defensive end, Tyreke Smith, both received invites to February’s Under Armour All-American game in Orlando. Gill verbally committed to Ohio State March 1 while Smith recently released a Top 12 list that included the likes of the Buckeyes, Alabama, Michigan and Cincinnati.

Two prospects were also invited to participate in the Under Armour Future 50 Underclassmen Camp – Belleville (MI) offensive lineman, Devontae Dobbs, and Lakota West (OH) defensive lineman, Steven Faucheux. Dobbs currently holds more than 20 offers, including schools like Alabama, Auburn, Michigan and Ohio State, while Faucheux currently holds 10 offers, including invites from Florida, Tennessee, Louisville and Cincinnati.

“I’ve been in some kind of contact with colleges, through my coach, but right now it’s more about figuring out what camps I want to go to, to let (those schools) get a better look at me,” Faucheux said during Saturday’s weather delay.

Faucheux, who broke onto the prospect scene in November when he received an offer from Kentucky has shot up recruiting boards ever since. The 6-foot-5, 272-pounder is considered one of the top prospects in all of Ohio in the 2019 Class and one of the premier prospects at his position in the country.

“My goal going into my junior year, I want to be a top-five defensive end in the country, strong-side defensive end,” Faucheux said. “That’s really my own personal goal. Everything else is a team goal.”

On the offensive side of the ball, an extremely deep and talented tight end contingent was in action on Saturday. Moeller’s (OH) Brenden Bates, a Kentucky commit, La Salle’s (OH) Josh Whyle, a Cincinnati commit, and Madeira’s (OH) Jack Cravaack all competed at Elder, along with around 40 Cincinnati-area prospects. Cravaack, who picked up his first Big Ten offer later Saturday evening – the offer coming from Purdue – holds offers from the likes of Wake Forest, Army and several Mid-American Conference and Ivy League schools.

“I guess we just have a lot of big athletes in this city,” Cravaack said with a smile when asked what he thinks makes Cincinnati a great recruiting ground for tight ends. “There’s a lot of great tight ends in this city and it’s good to get to know them, and work with them, and talk to them.”

Another standout Saturday was Lakota West (OH) linebacker, Xavier Peters. Peters, who only converted to linebacker in the past year, has garnered nearly 30 offers since this past season, including invites from Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma. He picked up a Texas offer earlier this week.

“I appreciate the move, (Lakota West) coach (Larry) Cox made,” Peters said of his shift from the offensive side of the ball to linebacker. “I wouldn’t even be going through this process, talking to you guys.”

Also in action on Saturday, was Ohio’s biggest lineman recruit and the top offensive tackle in the country, Jackson Carman, of Fairfield (OH). Carman is one of the closest watched recruits in the country and currently lists Ohio State and Clemson as leading the pack for his services. But Carman says he’s still open-minded and wants to take some more trips.

“I definitely want to go out and visit USC and see California,” Carman said. “I want to go to Wisconsin and Florida State.”